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Caitlyn couldn't believe Matt was taking her to church. She was still
in shock when they stepped through the doors of Jonathan's church two
days later.
"This is where you wanted to go for a date?" she whispered.
He smiled lovingly at her. "We're not just here to date, we're on a
mission. I figured the church saved Sarah, so we need to save the
church."
Caitlyn nodded, having heard both Jonathan and Sarah talk about the
problems at the church over the weekend. But Matt had never mentioned
any mission to her until now.
"I hope you don't mind, but I invited your parents and Jolie, too."
Caitlyn's mouth fell open again as she saw her parents chatting with
Jolie. "What on earth are you up to?"
"You'd know, Caitlyn, if you ever read the newspaper." he replied with
a smug smile.
"Caitlyn!" Her mother came rushing over to her, giving her a hug of
delight, followed by her father and Jolie, who were all muttering
congratulations.
Caitlyn turned to Jolie when her parents were finally distracted. "Did
you see the paper this morning?"
"Of course I did," Jolie said with a laugh. "Didn't you?"
"No, I did not. You know I don't read the paper."
"And you're in love with a newspaperman—shame on you." Jolie slid away
to talk to more and more friends, people Caitlyn hadn't seen in years.
"Matt is amazing," Jonathan told her, as he joined her at the back of
the church. "He did what I couldn't do. He filled this church to the
rafters. We may have a chance at saving it."
"How did he do that?" Caitlyn asked.
"Didn't you read the paper this morning?"
"Okay, that's it. I'm going to get one right now."
"You don't have to," Sarah said, sidling up with Emily. She handed
Caitlyn the front page of the paper.
Caitlyn was almost afraid to look, but she saw Matt watching her and
knew that this was one paper
she'd have to read.
And there it was . . . down in the right-hand corner, where Matt
usually wrote about politicians and corruption ... a story about a
church that needed saving, a community that needed to pull together.
And at the bottom of the short article, in large bold print, were the
words,
"Will you marry me,
Caitlyn? Because I love you, and if you
read it here, you know it must be true."
Her eyes blurred with tears of joy. A year and a half ago she'd thought
her life was over, but now she realized it was the new beginning she'd
needed. She'd come full circle, happier now than she'd ever
been in her
life.
"Yes," she said, shouting across the crowded vestibule, as she waved
the paper in her hand. "Yes, I'll marry you."
Matt had her in his arms before the last word crossed her lips. "You
won't be sorry, Caitlyn. I'll make
you happy. I swear it."
"I thought we were going to take things slow," she said with a tcary
smile.
"I've been waiting my whole life for you. I don't want to wait another
second. Do you?"
"No, I'm sure. You know me better than I know myself."
"I feel the same way. I won't try to fix you, Caitlyn. I won't even
make you read the newspaper."
"Now I know you love me."
He cupped her face with his hands and looked deep into her eyes. "We'll
make up the rest as we go
along. Don't say it," he said, putting a
finger against her lips. "If we decide to open our lives up to
another
small soul, we'll decide together how and when and all the rest. But
the truth is, I don't need anyone else, Caitlyn. I found my other half
in you."
Her eyes welled up with tears. "That's the nicest thing anyone has ever
said to me."
"Hey, I'm just getting started. I've got a way with words, you know."
"A way with me," she said. "And you're my other half, too, the half
that is bold and filled with attitude. You make me want to spread my
wings and fly."
"And you make me want to put down some roots. We'll be good together,
Caitlyn. We may not have the storybook ending"—he smiled at her with
love and joy in his eyes—"but we will have some kind of wonderful. I
promise you that."
Six
Tips for Finding Mr. Right From the Avon Romance Superleaders
Meeting Mr. Right requires planning, persuasion, and a whole lot of
psychology! But even the best of us needs help sometimes . .. and where
better to find it than between the pages of each and every Avon Romance
Superleader?
After all, Julia Quinn, Rachel Gibson, Barbara Freethy, Constance
O'Day-Flannery, Cathy Maxwell, and Victoria Alexander are the experts
when it comes to love. And the following sneak previews of their latest
tantalizing, tempting love stories (plus a special bonus from Samantha
James) are sure to help you on the path to romantic success.
So when it's time to find the man of your dreams (or, if you've already
got him, to help your friends find equal success) just follow the lead
of the heroines of the Avon Romance Superleaders....
Tip #1:
Ballroom dance lessons really can pay
off.
Miss Sophie Beckett longs to believe that her dreams can come true.
However, this Regency miss seems destined to be at the beck and call of
her wealthy relations. But when she secretly attends Lady Bridgerton's
annual masked ball, she's swept into the strong arms of handsome
Benedict Bridgerton. Sophie knows that when midnight—and the
unmasking—comes she must leave or risk exposure. But
she won't do so
before she accepts . . .
An Offer From a Gentleman
Coming July 2001 by Julia Quinn
Sophie hadn't seen him when she'd first walked into the room, but she'd
felt magic in the air, and when he'd appeared before her, like some
charming prince from a children's tale, she somehow knew that he was
the reason she'd stolen into the ball.
He was tall, and what she could see of his face was very handsome, with
lips that hinted of irony and smiles and skin that was just barely
touched by the beginnings of a beard.
His hair was a dark, rich brown, and the flickering candlelight lent it
a faint reddish cast.
He was handsome and he was strong, and for this one night, he was hers.
When the clock struck midnight, she'd be back to her life of drudgery,
of mending and washing and attending to Araminta's every wish. Was she
so wrong to want this one heady night of magic and love?
She felt like a princess—a reckless princess—and so when he asked her
to dance, she put her hand in his. And even though she knew that this
entire evening was a lie, that she was a nobleman's bastard and a
countess's maid, that her dress was borrowed and her shoes practically
stolen—none of that seemed to matter as their fingers twined.
For a few hours, at least, Sophie could pretend that this gentleman
could be her gentleman, and that
from this moment on, her life would be
changed forever.
It was nothing but a dream, but it had been so terribly long since
she'd let herself dream.
Banishing all caution, she allowed him to lead her out of the ballroom.
He walked quickly, even as he wove through the pulsing crowd, and she
found herself laughing as she tripped along after him.
"Why is it," he said, halting for a moment when mey reached the hali
outside the ballroom, "that you always seem to be laughing at me?"
She laughed again; she couldn't help it. "I'm happy." she said with a
helpless shrug. "I'm just so happy
to be here."
"And why is thai? A baii such as this must be routine for one such as
yourself.'
Sophie grinned. If he thought she was a member of the ton, an alumna of
dozens of balls and parties, (hen she must be playing her role to
perfection.
He touched the corner of her mouth. "You keep smiling," he murmured.
"I like to smile."
His hand found her waist, and he pulled her toward him. The distance
between their bodies remained respectable, but the increasing nearness
robbed her of breath.
"I like to watch you smile," he said. His words were low and seductive,
but there was something oddly hoarse about his voice, and Sophie could
almost let herself believe that he really meant it, that she wasn't
merely that evening's conquest. ...
Tip #2:
Mothers across America proven wrong—
sometimes looks do count!
The gossips of Gospel, Idaho, all want to know—who is Hope Spencer and
what is she doing in their town? Little do they suspect that she's a
supermarket tabloid reporter on the run from a story gone terribly
wrong ... all they can learn is that she's from Los Angeles, which is
plenty bad. Even worse, she's caught the eye of Dylan Taber, Gospel's
sexy sheriff—the only good looking man in three counties. He's easy on
the eyes and not above breaking the laws of love to get what he wants.
And before you know it, there's plenty to talk about in the way of.. .
True Confessions
Coming August 2001 by Rachel Gibson
"Can you direct me to Number Two Timberline.'" she asked. "I just
picked up the key from the realtor and that's the address he gave me."
"You sure you want Number Two Timberline'? That's the old Donnelly
place," Lewis Plummer said. Lewis was a true gentleman, and one of the
few people in town who didn't outright lie to
flatlanders.
"That's right. I leased it for the next six months."
Sheriff Dylan pulled his hat back down on his forehead. "No one's lived
there for a while."
"Really, no one told me that. How long has it been empty?"
"A year or two." Lewis had also been born and raised in Gospel, Idaho,
where prevarication was considered an art form.
"Oh, a year isn't too bad if the property's been maintained."
Maintained, hell. The last time Dylan had been in the Donnelly house
thick dust covered everything.
Even the bloodstain on the living room
floor.
"'So, do I just follow this road?" She turned and pointed down Main
Street.
"That's right," he answered. From behind his mirrored glasses, Dylan
slid his gaze to the natural curve
of her slim hips and thighs, down
her long legs to her feet.
"Well, thanks for your help." She turned to leave but Dylan's next
question stopped her.
"You're welcome. Ms—?"
"Spencer."
"Well now, Ms Spencer, what are you planning to do out there on the
Timberline Road?" Dylan figured everyone had a right to privacy, but he
also figured he had a right to ask.
"Nothing."
"You lease a house for six months and you plan to do nothing?"
"That's right. Gospel seemed like a nice place to vacation."
Dylan had doubts about that statement. Women who drove fancy sports
cars and wore designer jeans vacationed in nice places with room
service and pool boys, not in the wilderness of Idaho. Hell, the
closest thing Gospel had to a spa was
the Petermans' hot tub.
Her brows scrunched together and she tapped an impatient hand three
times on her thigh before she said, "Well, thank you, gentlemen, for
your help." Then she turned on her fancy boots and marched back to her
sports car.
"Do you believe her?" Lewis wanted to know.
"That she's here on vacation?" Dylan shrugged. He didn't care what she
did as long as she stayed out of trouble.
"She doesn't look like a backpacker."
Dylan thought back on the vision of her backside in those tight jeans.
"Nope."
"Makes you wonder why a woman like that leased that old house. I
haven't seen anything like her in a long time. Maybe never."
Dylan slid behind the wheel of his Blazer. "Well, Lewis, you sure don't
get out of Pearl County enough."
Tip #3:
If he's good to kids, he'll be good
to you.
Most men, when confronted with a baby, do one of two things: run the
other way or fall for it. When a beautiful baby girl is left on
journalist Matt Winters's doorstep, he turns to his neighbor, wedding
gown designer Caitlyn Deveraux, for help. After all, she's a woman .. .
shouldn't she know everything about babies? Soon, Caitlyn and Matt must
confront their deepest desires—her longing for a child, his wish for a
family—and a passion for each other that's . ..
Some Kind of Wonderful
Coming September 2001 by Barbara Freethy
"Oh, isn't that the cutest outfit?" Caitlyn ran down the aisle and
pulled out a bright red dress that was only a little bigger than Matt's
hand. "It has a bonnet to go with it. You have to get this one."
"This was a big mistake," he said, frowning at her unbridled
enthusiasm. With Emily nuzzled against his chest and Caitlyn by his
side, he felt like he was part of a family—a husband, a wife, a baby.
It was the American dream.
"It's one cute little dress," Caitlyn said, putting it in the cart.
"Diapers, we need diapers." She walked around the corner and tossed
several large bags into the cart, followed by baby wipes, bottles,
formula, bibs, socks, a couple of sleepers, a baby blanket, and a pink
hair ribbon that she couldn't resist. By the time they headed down the
last aisle, the cart was overflowing with items Caitlyn insisted that
he needed.
"You know I'm not a rich man," he told her.
"Most of it is on sale."
"And most of it we don't need—I don't need," he corrected. "She doesn't
need," he said finally finding
the right pronoun.
Caitlyn simply offered a smile that told him she could see right
through him. To distract her he stopped and looked over at the shelves,
determined to find something else that they didn't need so she would
coo over it and focus her attention anywhere but on him. That's when he
saw it: an enormous chocolate brown teddy bear with soft, plush fur and
black eyes that reminded him of Sarah.
"Emily would love that," Caitlyn said.
"It's bigger than she is," he replied gruffly.
"She'll grow into it." Caitlyn took the bear off the rack and sat it on
top of the growing pile, daring him
to take it off.
"Fine," he said with a long-suffering sigh.
"Oh, please, you don't fool me."
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"I'm talking about that sentimental streak that runs down your back."
"You're seeing things with those rose-colored glasses again, princess."
"And you're a terrible liar."
Tip #4:
Sometimes it's good to take charge!
Owrles Garrih/ is a man out of time... one moment it was 1926, the
next, 2001! But he doesn't have a single minute to figure out what's
happened, because he's faced with rescuing his rescuer—a very
beautiful, very pregnant woman who says her name's Suzanne McDermott.
Charles quickly realizes that all has changed except for one thing:
Love is an emotion tiiat can transcend time, and that nothing else
matters but what you feel...
Here and Now
Coming October 2001 by Constance O'Day-Flannery
"Who are you anyway?"
"Charles Garrity, ma'am. And thank you again ... for pulling me out of
the river." He didn't know what else to say to this confusing female,
and he certainly had no idea what to do with a woman about to give
birth.
"I'm Suzanne. Suzanne McDermott. Now let's just make it to the car so
both of us can get some help."
Charles kept looking at the odd automobile. "You drove this?"
"Of course, I drove it."
Charles shrugged, then reached down behind her legs and, with a grunt,
swept her up into his arms.
"No! Wait! You'll drop me!" she yelped.
"Just stay still, ease up, and we'll make it," he gritted out.
As they approached the machine Charles took one last step and set her
down as gently as he could next
to it.
He pulled on the metal latch on the automobile and stared in wonder as
the door opened easily and exposed the luxurious interior.
"You're going to have to drive us to the hospital," she said.
"I am?" he asked.
"Yes, you are. You have driven a car before, haven't you?"
"I've driven an automobile," he insisted, straightening his backbone.
"Good," Suzanne answered. "Let's get out of here. I want a doctor when
my baby arrives."
"Let me help you," he said, wrapping his arm around what was left of
her waist and assisting her. When they managed to get her onto the back
seat, he stood panting.
She felt like she was instructing a child as she patiently began
rattling off instructions. A wave of relief swept over her as the
engine cranked and the motor began humming.
"This is astounding," he said with a breath of awe.
Suzanne knew now was not the time to ask questions.
The car lurched forward. He must have hit every single rut on the back
country path, and he stopped when they finally came to the main road,
even though there were several times when he could have safely merged.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
Charles Garrity stared at the unbelievable spectacle before him.
Automobiles of every color and size whizzed past him with more speed
than he'd ever imagined. Something was wrong—very wrong—for this was no
place he'd ever been before.
Tip #5:
Sometimes men like it when you play
hard to get.
Wlten pert, pretty Mary Gates gets her chance for a London Season, she
sets her cap on someone far more lofty than Tye Barlow, the local rake.
The insufferable man thinks he's the world's gift to women! But though
he drives her crazy when they're together, she finds herself longing
for him when they're apart. Then a daring bet between them ends in
matrimony, and Mary must decide whether she's lost—or won . ..
The Wedding Wager
Coming November 2001 by Cathy Maxwell
Tye Barlow's hand came down on top of hers, pressing it flat against
the horse's skin. He held it in place. In spite of the beast's
impressive height, Barlow glowered down at her from the other side.
Mary wasn't one of his silly admirers. She knew better than to trust a
man who could make a woman's brain go a little daffy. But when he was
angry like this, she had to concede he was rather good-looking. He
boasted sharp, cobalt blue eyes, straight black hair, broad shoulders,
and a muscular physique that made other men appear puny.
However, Mary knew what sent female hearts fluttering was not his
perfections, but his imperfections. His grin was slightly uneven, like
that of a fox who had raided the henhouse. A scar over his right eye
added to his devil-may-care expression, and there was a bump on his
nose from the day years ago when he, Blacky, David, and Brewster had
brawled with a neighboring village.
They'd won.
Now her face was inches from Tye's, and she could make out the line of
his whiskers and smell a hint of the bay rum shaving soap he used. For
a guilty second she was tempted to blurt out the truth .. . then pride
took over.
BOOK: Barbara Freethy - Some Kind Of Wonderful
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